Friction in Congress-DMK alliance in Puducherry, CM Narayanasamy in a spot

Trouble is brewing in the Congress-DMK alliance in the tiny Union Territory of Puducherry with the DMK set to hold a key meeting on Monday to discuss the party's future course of action vis-a-vis the assembly elections due in April-May.

The development comes even as Chief Minister V Narayanasamy is battling rebellion from his own party legislators who are said to be in touch with BJP, which is trying for a toehold in Puducherry. Sources in the DMK told DH that the Puducherry unit feels that the Congress government in the UT faces anti-incumbency and that the party should lead a separate alliance and fight the polls.

The DMK's UT unit will meet on Monday to discuss the future course of action amid speculation that the party will decide on coming out of the Congress alliance. The speculation gains credence after the DMK boycotted a protest called by Narayanasamy against Lt Governor Kiran Bedi of “interfering unnecessarily” in the administration.

The suggestions put forth by the UT unit has put the DMK in a fix. “We cannot take two different stands for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The Puducherry unit of DMK feels the party is poised to lead an alliance. But we cannot have an alliance with Congress in Tamil Nadu and come out of it in Puducherry. Such a decision would lead to lot of contradiction and it would not be good for us,” a senior DMK leader told DH.

Besides, Narayanasamy himself is facing a rebellion from a couple of MLAs. A Congress leader said there is resentment among party members against him and DMK leaders' public statement against the Chief Minister has only increased his woes.

“There is problem in Puducherry. A section of the party men feel that the CM's hold on the party and the government has increased over the years and that he is not listening to them. We are trying to sort out the problem,” a Congress leader in the know-how said.

The Congress is likely to hold talks with legislators who are said to be in talks with BJP. Congress and DMK contested the 2016 assembly elections in an alliance and Narayanasamy was sworn-in as Chief Minister. While the Congress won 15 seats, the DMK could emerge victorious only in two seats in the 2016 elections.